Vulcanizing apparatus



March 15, 1932. 1

.1. R. lGAMML-TI'ER VULCANI Z ING APPARATUS Filed May 3l v19150 2 Sheets-Sheet numtoz March 15, 1932. J, R, GAMMETER 1,849,828-

VULCANI Z ING APPARATUS Filed May 5l, 1930 2 ShetS-Sheei- 2 John /T GammeTCr,

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h/s A TTQRNE Y.

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 font-t Pn-EEN? ENCE :JointR;z-ceiniiamieomalaoit. .time 'i :vULcnNizii'iG APPARATUS.

f Application: fileiMy 31y :1.9.30 .Serial Nm. 45.7,.l2-

"This invention relates-to apparatusor vnl- -ca5nizing -ruleber` articles'siich -as pneumatic tiresaiidgthellike. 1 `In familiar devicesV of thisness of the. mold Wallsfit is]y djfieliiltto obtain- `thauniform' heating of ther mold surfaces, --tlius 'giving rise-.tothe iinderciiring of the itires at lcertain:portions and vcaiisiiig their rapidi deterioration-Whenin service. -Fury -S':tlier,niore,`- due to f the inte-gralY for .permanent 'Y .natu-re of fthe --mold '"Walls, the i devicesl are adapted `tor iise;only-in connection AWith tires type suitable for useYinvarioiisflkinds-fof Thexprescllt'invcntionis intended to overgf SEO `come"the foregoing Vand other Lobj ections, and l raimstorprduce a ,tire-vulcanizing devicev-Qwhicli is bsimple mechanical .COiSti-iictiony .I Vcfa'single' sizeand of asingle design.

thoroughly 'eicie'ntin operation. and capable ,fof .iise-'W1tli:t'i res of -vaiious sizes and designs. l'l'o attain '-thesefobjects, theyinvention5ggen- "eral-ly speaking', contemplates the Aformation ottheimdlcl cavitiesand the heatingchambers sin Vs ;eparate Yor distinct. parts; which aremade .to dit. together inf fluid-tight condition, vand y 33. which are detachably connected in such man-1- ner as to Yperi`ifiit' ;theready removal andrel '.-placementotthemold sections-When desired. The :invention .also :aims to facilitateand uexpedite."the'insertioii and removal of the' tires in .and vfromtheA individual mold ,cavities,A and in this connection contemplates the employment jof a conelshapedlairvbag'ringfor;

i theelosiire .of the inner side of the mold cavity during '.viilcanization. ce

` 4f'u ll (..pointed out in the. ,detailed1- description 'which follows.

In; the accompanying. drawings:

Fig. 1y is a fragmentary vertical transverse" sitions, to form vlo-etweenithem a mold cavity 95 orA chamber tol receive the` tire or lother article 45 sectional view` tliroiwhone form of vulcanizi Y n" C a n ingnioldembodying the invention;

j Fig: 21s a" fragmentary detail perspective view "'o; av portion thereof onan 'enlargedY scale 50 l Fig;l 3ds a'fragmentaryiidetail sectional` "i These vand various other featuresl Will be "Figs `is ai-fragmentaryplanviewo lthe inner or-partir-1g-aceA of one halt of themold A Withv parts broken away' and parts in sec- Fig. ulis a detail-elevation of the-looking -meansffor the meetingends of the outer snap- `ri-ng;

' Fig. 6 is aragmentary perspective Avievvof the same,"sliovving the partsf disassembled 60 Fig 7- is a detail-elevation of `tlie locking i means for the innersnap#ring; .and

' Fig. 8, is aragmentary perspective view of the :same with V`the partsL dis assembled.

i'The Vviilcamiziiig device madeinaccordance"Y 65 With lthe preferred embodiment of the `invention Q i'lliistrat'ed in the f draWii-igsg; isfof a jackets 6 and 7fseeF-ig. A1, presentingiwre- 8, Q-and 10, 11. iTherespective-vcasingsections contain lieatingchambersli 13g-Whose `inner` side lWalls are-'formed' by mold rings or sections 19 and 23, presently. to be described. The heatingchambersy may belieated'in any# 80 suitable manner, as --by means [of` steam introducedinto ithe4 chambers through/pipes; not {shoyvnlfin a, Well-known manner.` fIn 4order to, provide proper-contact fon-the mold f sections and secure engagement therefor/the 255 `inner faces of the Walls 85 9 ofthe-casing ,sec- 'tion' garel formedywith inwardly extending side-seating i shoulders` 14,* 15,f respectively, f. and the -vv`alls 10, 11l ofcasi-ng section `7- are provided on 1 their inner faces with similar?A 90 shoulders 17, 18,-A respectively.

'i The mold ,sections referred tof are pfh -annular, concave shape and are adapted when placedy linltheir opposed or cooperatingpo- -wallsof the casing section 6,8and tor-this purposelits outer and inner peripheral'wallls 21,1 100 22 are shaped to t snugly in the recesses formed by the inner faces of the respective walls 8, 9 and shoulders 14, 15 of the casing section 6 so as thus to form the side wall for the annular steam chamber 12. In like Vmanner, the annular, concave mold section 23 is provided to seat on the walls of the casing section 7, its outer and inner peripheral walls 24, 25 shaped to fit snugly in the recesses formed by the inner faces of the respective walls 10, 11 and shoulders 17,18 ofV said casing section 7 and thus form the side wall for the annular steam chamber 13.

In order to hold the mold sections securely but removably'in theirseating posiv tions on the casing sections, the novel expef "dient is employedv of forming perimetrical Vgrooves in the walls ofthe casing sections and of placing in said grooves splitlocking rings which shall bear against the outside surfaces of the mold sections.

lPreferably and as shown, see Fig. 1, the inner peripheral face of the outer wall 8 of thecasing section 6 is formed with an annular groove v2,7 and in this groove there is placeda detachable abutment or stop in the form of va split snap-ring 28, which projects inwardly therefrom and bears against the adjoining outer surface of the wall 21 of the mold .section 19, the groove 27 beingV for such purpose formed immediately adjacent said Y adjoining surface. If desired, and to impart increased stability and rigidity to the locking ring 28, its opposite ends are held apart by a removable key 29, see Fig. 5, which i. is sprung between the said ends and frictionally engages the same to prevent contraction ofthe snap-ring 28 and its removal from the groove 27.

. Further, to facilitate `the locking engage- Y ment of the two sections 6 and 19, an annular groove 30 is formed in the outer peripheral face of .the inner wall 9 of the casing section 1 6, immediately adjacent the outer surface of the wall 22 of the mold section 19,and in this groove another snap-ring 32 is arranged, this `ring projecting inwardly from the groove and bearing against the 'said outer'surface of Y Y the mold section wall 22. This ring 32, like the ring 28, and for similar reasons, is like- -wise provided with a removable key 33,

shaped as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and the inwardly extending ends of which interlock Ain recesses 34 formed in the ends of the ring.

' A similar construction of Aparts in this particular 1s provided for the casing section 7 and mold section 23, the inner peripheral face of the outer wall 10 being formed with an .annular groove 35 immediately adjacent the n outersurface of the wall 24 of the mold section 23,-and a-snap-ring'37 being arranged in Y said groove with a portion projecting inward- I Aly and bearing tightly against said outer surface off the mold section wall 24. This ringy is provided with a key 37a,V Likewise,

the pair of snap-ringsin their retaining grooves, seeFig. 1, and can be as easily and Vquickly dismounted by the ready removal of the snap-rings from the retaining grooves. Hence, many dierent mold sections Vcan be interchangeably used with the casing sections, these different mold sections being adapted' to accommodate tires of `different sizes or with different tread designs.

,The mold sections are held forwardly against the snap-rings 28, 32, 37 and 39 by the steam pressure in back of them, contained in the chambers 12 and 13.

Obviously, it is desirable and in fact necessary that the jointure between the Walls of the mold sections and their respective casing sections be steam-tight. To effectthis steamtight engagement, and describing first the engagement of the casing section 6 and mold section 19, there is formedin the innerperiph- Y eral face of the outer. wall 8 ofthe casingy section 6, adjacent to the shoulder 14, an annular recess 41 of a width less than the thickness of the wall 21 of the `mold section. In this recess 41, there is arranged a radially contractible packing member or ring 42, made ofv any suitable packing material, and which after the manner of itskind is mad-e to fit tightly in said recess and bear snugly against the outer peripheral surface of the mold sec-y tion wall 21, making a cylindrical telescopic or slip joint therewith, and against the side and inner walls of the, recess. This packing ring is, of course, placed in position in its recess before the mold section is applied.

While the packing ring would of itself be effective for its purpose, yet theinvention contemplates making a steam-tight vjoint of eXtreme efficiency and to this end, and'aecording to another feature of the invention,

it is proposed to use the force of the steam itself. VAs shown, therefore, the wall 8 of the casing section 6 is formed with a Vplu- :.1

rality of passageways 43 therein, which passageways establish communication between the steam chamber 12 andthe annular recess 41 through short radial ports 41, the

latter leading into the bottom of the annular recess, see Fig. 1. VAs will be apparent, the steam escaping from. the steam chamber 12 through these passageways into the bottom of the recess 41 will act to press the packing member v42 tightlyagainst the surface of the j.

moldl section Wall 21iand4thus eectthe steamtight closure desired. To facilitate andzincreasethispaclring elfectytheepacking member 42 is formed with an annulargno'ove.` or rfurrcrw 42e? 1 iniv4 its Iouter Iside tof about.: the same diameter asfthe'ports 41a; providingfa pairx :of flexible f. edge'j sealingY lips, andwinto againstallj .sides thereof,` thus bringing about also a closer `contactfofthe v.packing member 42: With-the si de Walls of ithe `.recess 4:1.

lt? Willibe:observed,isee Fig.;1, thateach of 'thepassageways 43 takesl theform'of a V, having a long'legxvhich extends parallel vvith thecentralsaxis of the. casing and leads to the'outer-verticalsurface fof. the casing section WallrS, Vand a shorter leg which extends semiradially at an angle to said axis and leads tolan innerface Oftheiavall L8 .adjacent the .shoulder 14;l Closure'plugs :114. arei inserted in' the" open fends'ofthe long leg portions to prevent th'e'escape of steam. This particular arrangement is preferred for' reasons .of 'corrvenience an di economy: in drilling the 'passage The-outer peripherall face of r-th'e `inner vWall 9 "of the` casing.sectionwol isin 'llike fashion forrnedfwith an annular; recess 47, in which is seated a raidiallyexpansible packing ring .48 hea-ring again'stt re innerfperiphera'l;.surface ofv thei=wall 22 ofthe' inoldl-section '19 and formed withv a furrow 18min its oppositezfa'ce. Passagers-aye 49 (1il`reftheV .-passageways` 13 communicate between the stearnchamberflQ and radialfports 47Pof therecess, all as shown in .Figsul and 2,.'and theouterends ofthe passageways are .closed with suitable plugs 50.

Alike construction of parts" obtains with referencetothe'casing section 7 and moldV sec- .tion- 23, the inner peripheralface .of the outer VWall 10 of said 'casing section 'being 'formed with an annular.. recess 51,.in which is arranged a packing' ringe` 52, .forined'withr a furrow 53 in itsinner surface, and its'outerfa'ce bearing againstthe peripheral surface of the outer Wall Qllof the mold section 23." *Passage Ways l54 vcommunicate between the vsteain chamber 13 and said' recessth-rough "radial ports 51a, andthe stearnescaping from said chamber ltvil'l actupon the packing member 52 in theinanner heretofore described,A when referring to the similar parts of the casing section 6. In corresponding. fashion, the" outer peripheral face of the. inner Wall 11 of the casing section'` 7 is formed vwith an annular recess 57 in which is -housed a pachingring- 58 formed With a furrow 59 inV itsouter surface and bea-ring against the" peripheral surface `of the -inner YWall 25 of Athe mold' section.t .23, andlthus rendering the joint.bet\veenthe wall 1l andsaid Wall 25 steam-tight. Passage- Ways 61 communicate between :the recess 57 andthe steam chamber lthrough the radial portsi' inthe irnanner` heretofore described,

thelends'of` said passageWa-ys being; .provided with: suitable ipluzgs .6222

A By mountingtlresepaekingirngs andlfo'rlnchangeable Inold'sectionsis avoided?. thas: furrowthe" steamfnflovvs and: :presses In the present instance, 'asbefore int'nnate'd,

suitable .forthe 1 vulcanizaton Yofs'a tire; and

,Y it will ybe'observed, see Figs-:1 andJ 8, thfatithe i section-119 is formed. 'withv` a ^'doublebeveled v lugv 64 adapted tto: seattlini 1a correspondingly l'formed socketl 'or recess.' tlinlthe section .23,

laxial.;andicircurnferental. ofthefmold': vsec- Y'tionstand their tread designs .66. Asshown,

Zalso, see-Fi'gnl, the shoulder-64e is sowforrned Ythat@roper. sp aceis .afordedbetiveen the: said fshfouldenand thefinnenfacea'of. the Wallb so thatiafter the mold' section-119 hasrbeenvpl'aced Vin.positions.the snap ringc-28 `can-1 be. inserted in its groove 27.

. Theiuncuredtire-'A 'andi air; B lare placed in-one ofthe mold: sections before the sectionsare joined onclosedin v(')perative position;y Ordinarily', 'one' of the lcasing.y vsections 'with itsfassoc-iated moldfsection is maintained in\Y stationarypositiom sections 6r and -19 herein) .While the other' casing ;section: ,rWith fits.

. associated Unold section i( sections f7. L 'and' '23` l hereinf) is moved for swung: toi engage: and' be :heldin-locked engagement with.thestationaryv casing section. Theftire and ainsbag'are custornarilyA placedl :ing the] stationary tino'ld: fsection ;y andthe other moldisection andfitsfcasing section areth-en closedfover-it to forni-with the l stationary sections the .mold cavity: 63 'heretofore Inentionedr. Inthe lant, the fpraoticex pne va-ils f. of constructing .th-e inner f 4peripheral `Walls of the -.respectiveI moldv sections 1n such mannen asto leave .a Wide spacebetween their opposingannular surfaces, and-1n orderto supportthe `tire andyair ba.g,-it yis ,customary l,firstrto rnount.thetiret and theairbag' on=a .r1m, whichY requiresra Separateopjeration. ..2 f

Accordingrto another important. featureof this invention, .this .preliminany rimining .op-

4 eration is dispensed ivith, .,Forth'is purpose,

the rnol'dsection's .19 4-and 23, are made substantially equal and are-forined directlvwith seats 72and 78for the tire-beads, and there is "provided LanA annular cone-shapedfriing '.,Or member 67, which p, completely jbridge'si. Lthe space between' the 'opposing' inner peripheral Wallsof' thef tWo Vmold` sections, vand V'u p'on `Which"the tire and'airbag are placed .pre-

paratory "to: theclosing of the mold." The ring may be attached to either 4mold" section `inpgit integral With the section. (Preferably, howeverit is formed With'an annular shoulli120 i 19ior A23and'in anysuitable Wayyas'by castv -ment, as the swinging mold section 23 is brought into closed position, it will force or press the tire and air bag into proper position,

with the beads ofthetire fitting properly in their seats 72, 73, andthe air bag resting upon and supported by the ring .67. It will be understood that, as/the swinging mold section 23 presses against the tire, the latter will slide Vupwardly along the conical kface of the ring 67 into proper position in the mold cavity. In this connection, it may be notedV that the edges ofthe mold sectionsl9 and 23, adjoining the ring 67, are beveled o'r chamfered as at 74,75, respectively, so as to avoid any sharp corners 'which might tend to hold vthe tire and air bag against movement or deface Ythe same, Awliile `they are bein pressed into proper vulcanizing position.` fter the vulcanizing members have been brought into operative or closed position, they are mainv'tained in suchposition by suitable locking means, not shown.

Due Ito the removable nature of thev mold sections, it is'apparent that the device may be used for the vulcanization of tire casings of various lsizes and designs, it simply being necessary to remove and re-insert the split. lcckingring's before and :after replacement of the mold sections.. This .interchangeabilityof the mold sections is greatly facilitated *by reason oftheir shouldered portions which insure the proper location of the sections on the casing .members as well as the mutual coi yoperationof such sections in the closed condition of the casing members. Moreover, be-

ing inthe form of separate parts, the mold sections maybe made `of uniform thickness VVthroughout'so as thus to'insure the uniform heating of allV portions of the tire casings. This-feature is further advantageous,in that it 'enables-the' device to be built without difl'iculty and at low cost and also provides for the ready repair or replacement of any broken or worn out parts. Itis also pointed out that the use of the cone-shaped ring for the lclosure of they mold cavity is particularly desirable, inasmuch'as the tire casings maybe mounted within the mold cavity with the greatest possible convenience and without first rimmingupV thel casings. p These and various other Vadvantages will be readily appreciated by those skilled in theart.

kThe invention isnot of `course confined to theprecise construction shown and described, nor to anyother particular construction by whichthe same may be vcarried into effect, as rmany changesxmay be made inthe details ywithout departing from the main principles ofthe invention and .without sacrificingits chief advantages.y It is tobe understood thereforethat `the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are set forth in the appended claims.V

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim is: 1

l. In a vulcanizer,thecombinationz of a forwardly-open casing section having a detachable abutment ring,- a separable mold section having a cylindricaltelescopic t within said casing section and forming .therewith a chamber adapted to contain `pressure fluid which holds the mold section forwardly against said abutment: ring, and aradiallyacting packing ring located rearwardly of said abutment ring and exposed on one periphery to the Huid pressure within said chamber, for sealingy by its opposite periphery the cylindrical joint between said casing and'mold sections. r

2. In a vulcanizer, the-combination of a forwardly-open casing section having means for retaining a mold section against forward axial movement th-erein`r a separable mold section having a cylindrical telescopic fit within said casing section and-forming therewith a chamber adapted to contain pressure fluid which'holds the mold section forwardlyy against said retainingmeans, and a radially-acting packing ring mounted in a groove on said casing section and grooved on its back to provide a pair of flexible' sealing 'lips ,peripherally exposed to thefluid pressure .within said chamber, forsealing saidk packing-ring against the mold section `and against the sides. of its casing groove. v

3. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a forwardly-open casing section provided with outer and inner cylindrical mold-section supporting surfaces and with mold-sectionv retaining means located forwardly of said supporting surfacesyan annular separabley `mold section telescopically fitting said supporting surfaces and forming with' thecasing section an annular heating chamber adapted to contain steam pressureA vwhich holds said mold section forwardly against theretaining Vmeans, a radially contractibleA outer packing ring and a radially expansible inner packing ring mounted` in respective casing grooves for sealing the telescopic joints between the casing section and `mold section,

the casing being'formed with'passages leading from said chamber to the backs of said casing grooves for exposing the back ,peripheries of the packing rings to the steam pressure in said chamber.

4:. A vulcanizing device including, in combination, a casing section having outer and inner wallsy with annular seating surfaces, a

Yseparate mold section formed fon its outer and inner walls with annular surfaces adapted to' bear against the seating surfaces of the casing section and forming therewith a closed heating chamber, the 'surface of one of said sections being formed with an annular recess containing a packing ring, and

IUS

a plurality of ports leading from said recess into the heating chamber and to the forward surface of the casing section, and closure plugs fitted into said ports from said outer surface.

5. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a forwardly-open casing section having means for retaining a mold section against for-v ward axial movement therein, a separable mold section having a cylindrical telescopic fit within said casing section and forming therewith a chamber adapted to contain pressure fluid which holds the mold section for-- wardly against said retaining means, a radially-acting packing ring mounted in a groove on said casing section, and a series of passages connecting said chamber with the casing groove for admitting the chambel pressure to the back of said packing ring, said passages including approximately radial inlet portions and other portions substantally parallel with the central axis of the casing section, terminating in the forward face of said casing section and provided with closure plugs.

6. A tire vulcanizinfr device including, in combination, a pair of oppositely arranged annular mold sections adapted to be brought together in closed relation and formed with bead seats, the side walls of the two sections being formed to contact at the outer periphery but separated from each other at the inner periphery in the closed condition of the sections, and a cone-shaped ring bridging the gap between the mold sections at their inner periphery and by which the tire and its air bag are guided into and supported in proper position within the mold cavity when the mold is closed.

7 A tire vulcanizing device including, in combination, a pair of oppositely arranged annular mold sections adapted to be brought together in closed relation, and formed with bead seats, the side walls of the two sections being formed to contact at the outer periphery but separated from each other at the inner periphery in the closed condition of the sections, and a cone-shaped ring rigidly attached to one of the mold sections and bridging the gap between said sections at their inner periphery, as and for the purpose described.

8. A tire vulcanizin device including, in combination, a pair o oppositely arranged annular mold sections adapted to be brought together in closed relation and formed with bead seats, said sections enclosing a mold cavity of iixed size and being formed at their outer periphery with bearing surfaces ar# ranged to contact endwise substantially in the median circumferential plane of the tire when the sections are in closed relation, and the inner peripheral wall of one section being provided with a ring portion projecting axially for a substantial distance beyond said median circumferential plane and abuttingl May, 1930. i

JOI-IN R. GAMMETER. 

